Learning outcomes

Students will be able to:

• Describe how atomic radius, ionization energy, and electronegativity change across a period and down a group.
• Explain each trend using protons, electron shells, shielding, and core charge.
• Rank elements by size, ionization energy, and electronegativity, and explain the exceptions.
• Compare the sizes of atoms and their ions, and use successive ionization energies to find the number of valence electrons.

Standards alignment

• HS-PS1-1 NGSS: Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.
• SEP 2, 4 NGSS Science and Engineering Practices: develop and use models; analyze and interpret data.
• CCC 1 NGSS Crosscutting Concept: patterns.

Includes

Four stages: predict-then-reveal heat maps and graphs for three properties, an atom model of core charge and shielding across a period and down a group, five ranking challenges including the ionization-energy exceptions, and three investigations of ions; and a printable lab worksheet. A teacher answer key is available from Logical Home Schooling.

No sign-in and no ads. Nothing students type is sent anywhere; progress is saved only in their own browser.